Step In Time
by August Mayhem
Summary: Jane is attacked, but a Guardian Angel happens to see and looks after her.


Posted: May 8/12 Completely unedited.

**.x.**

It was a beautiful day, soft white clouds lazily drifting through too-blue skies. Ambrose had asked to take her for a walk in the park and shyly, Jane had agreed. He was a popular young man and of good breeding. And while she had her own circle of friends, Jane would never consider herself popular.

He had arrived at the house mid-afternoon and had offered her his arm. They spent a delightful minutes strolling along before they were almost run over by a pair of children, a young girl and presumably her little brother. They were shouting names at each other and to someone behind them. An exasperated shout reached their ears just as a small girl, barely able to run, with watery eyes chased after the older children as best she could.

"Benj'min! Kath'rine! Please wait! You promised I could come this time…" Her words trailed off into tears. The boy, Benjamin, huffed and ran back. Grabbing her hand, he scolded her for being so slow.

"Hurry up Annette! That stupid old biddy will catch us because of you! And if I have to go back to lessons because of you I'll make your life miserable. So will Katherine, even if she's only visiting for the weekend! Now come on!"

And off they dashed, Annette stumbling as she was pulled along. Not long after they were out of view, a harried woman came up gasping for breath.

"Sorry to interrupt you dears, but you didn't happen to see three children running off did you?"

Ambrose had a twist in the turn of his lips so Jane gave a slight smile and pointed her in the direction the children had disappeared. The nanny sighed and grumbled under her breath, "Benjamin you little blighter! When I get my hands on you, you'll be sitting your lessons sore for weeks!"

"What unruly children. She needs to be sterner with them, raucous brats. I think she should find a new career if she can't even handle those three." The sneer was evident. Jane hid a grimace at his attitude and then chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Oh, just memories. Those three reminded me of when I was a child. My brother and I were right terrors, to hear my mother. I remember one year, it was actually the last year we had a nanny, but Michael and I were precocious little brats to every nanny my mother brought in. I think we went through six nannies once, in three months or so?"

"Well thank heavens you grew up right and proper. I can't imagine taking an uncultured woman out."

Putting a bland smile on her face, Jane hid her irritation with the handsome man. "Yes, indeed." He may have been good looking and graduating with high marks, and all the girls at the college may have been interested in him, but there were cracks in the always-charming smile the young man had.

He bought dinner at a small, but delightful café and they enjoyed the musical strains of street buskers as the sun fell into the early dusk of spring. They had wandered well into London proper by evening and Jane was looking forward to the show she had been promised.

"Come on Jane, I know you like the stars. Just a quick side trip on the walk to the theatre! There's an outside staircase that takes you straight up to the roof; and it's a got a telescope to look through. It's the best view in London."

All throughout the afternoon, Jane had been reliving her younger days in an attempt to seem attentive whenever Ambrose spoke. A time when chores were fun and games, when medicine was delicious and they had a wonderful nanny named Mary Poppins who took them on impossible adventures!

'The best view in London.' She knew Ambrose was from a well respected family, and there was talk of their family being lorded, but she could hear a thick cockney accent perfectly within those words.

"Oh, all right. Just a quick view mind, I do have plans tomorrow morning." A charming grin grew on his face and Jane couldn't help but grin back.

A large hand grabbed hers, "Follow me!" Grinning at his enthusiasm, Jane laughed and they ran through twisted alleyways and around sharp corners until finally Ambrose stopped. Jane noticed the distinctly dirtier buildings, the darker streets, and looked to the gold brown head beside her.

"Ambrose, where are we?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to frighten you, but this is probably a part of London you should never go to alone. Or ever really. But I've come here often enough, and no one should bother us. If it's absolutely needed, you know I can protect you. Though I doubt anything will happen that requires that." He flashed a quick grin.

He walked behind her and covered her eyes and slowly walked her forward until they were shrouded in shadows. He quickly whirled her around and pressed a harsh kiss to her soft mouth. Startled, Jane pulled away.

"What are you doing? Ambrose, you should warn a girl before you do that. I did not give permission for such advances towards me. And you startled me something fierce!"

"Come now Jane! We went for a stroll and I bought you dinner, soon we'll be looking at stars and then going to a show. Surely I deserve some reward for being so nice?"

Ocean blue eyes darted around. It was a dead-end alley, and Ambrose was blocking the entrance. No one was around as he said, and there was in fact a outside stairwell, but too high up for ease of access. There was something off in his smile and it made Jane decidedly uneasy. She took a step back.

Ambrose rushed forward and grabbed her close, pinning her arms to her sides with one arm and using the other to force her head. This kiss was painful, filled with teeth and aggression. Jane bit his tongue when he tried to shove it in her mouth. A slap to the face was her reward.

"You little trollop!" An ugly sneer twisted handsome features into something terrifying. One hand went into his pocket and Jane trembled at what could be in it. When only a handkerchief came out her eyes closed in relief.

Ambrose seized a handful of hair and yanked her head back. Blue eyed widened with fright. Strong arms forced her to the ground and weak arms tried so very hard to push away the unwanted attention. But she was held down and legs pinned her useless arms. The handkerchief was tied over her mouth, she was being gagged.

Tears leaked from the corners of blue eyes as realization came over her. Her screams and pleads for help were muffled and there was no one around to hear them anyway. Ambrose would get what he wanted.

Wet kisses were slapped to her skin as his mouth trailed from her throat down to her collarbone as grabby hands ripped the material of her dress, buttons flying everywhere. Delicate fingers that belonged to a pianist pushed and pulled at her breasts, while another hand forced her skirts up around her hips.

Jane relished the freedom of her arms when Ambrose moved away for whatever reason. She didn't care what, he was off her and occupied. She stood quickly and clutched at her ripped dress as she raced out the alley, terror in every movement.

But she wasn't fast enough and something grabbed at her skirts, pulling her back. Her cries doubled in intensity as she pled for someone, anyone! to help her, save her.

"You disgusting little slut. You're just the daughter of a banker. What could you ever amount to? Your mother was an actress, a _whore_! How could you possibly ever expect to rise above your current station? And here I am, son of the Chief of Justice, my uncle is the Lord Chamberlain, and my great-uncle is the prime minister. Why would I ever turn my attention to a lowly whore like you, pretending to be someone you're not?

"You should be happy, a frigid little cunt like you, thrilled even, to have my attention! Everyone calls you that you know, even your friends. We all think you need to be taught a lesson about what it means to be a woman."

He had tied her hands with rope, all the while talking, and hooked the rope through a metal ring, conveniently stuck in the wall of the alley. Jane continued to cry even though her throat was scratched and sore, tears were tracing new paths down her cheeks and she finally gave in and cried for herself as her skirts were ripped open, her knickers yanked down and Ambrose pressed kisses all over her body as he stroked himself to readiness.

Her pleads for him to stop were ignored as he kept up a steady stream of insults about her parentage and how she should be grateful to him, and how exactly she could express that gratitude.

Finally deeming himself ready, Ambrose kissed her harshly and bit her lip to gain access as he lined himself up with her entrance. Jane screamed as he sharply thrust himself into her body and continued even though it was dry and painful in the extreme for her. Her cries for him to please stop, that it hurt, climbed into the skies and happened to be overheard by a guardian angel.

Bert had just finished the last chimney in a row of houses and was dancing across the rooftops to his own place when a scream split the air. He jerked at the sudden noise and the hair at the back of neck rose at the god-awful pitch. When more screams chased the first, Bert followed them until he was looking down into a closed alleyway.

A young woman was trying to fight off a man about the same age, maybe a little older. Quietly as he could, Bert climbed down the flimsy stairwell. Though it made the going more difficult, he brought his sweep with him just in case. As he got closer, he could hear the grunts and insults and realized the girl wasn't just fighting advances, she was being raped. Rage flew through him at that moments and bright blue eyes darkened to inky blackness.

"Whot th'hell d'yew fink yore doin' to tha' girl?"

Ambrose looked up, startled at the unexpected audience. When he saw it was only a chimney sweep, he sneered.

"Bugger off peasant, it doesn't concern you. She wants this, teased me all evening. And now she's getting what she wants." Mud brown eyes leered at the crying girl. Ignoring the skinny man, he continued to thrust in and out of the weakening body, losing himself to the pleasure.

"Don't sound loik she wants i'."

Aggravated with the intrusion Ambrose bit down on an exposed breast, and growled at the man, ignoring Jane's whimper of pain.

"I don't _care_ what you think. You're an uneducated peasant who can't even manage a proper job. She led me on and when the time came, she backed out, well too bad for her. Now piss off you bloody tosser!"

Jane had been so relieved when an unexpected voice called out from above and Ambrose stopped. But then he had moved again, and the pain started fresh, she was bleeding she knew, and each movement caused new tears and rips and she was sure the pain would never leave her.

The other man spoke again, sounding closer, and Jane choked back a cry of pain when he bit her breast sharply. There would be a mark there tomorrow, she knew. There would be marks every where tomorrow, a constant reminder of what had been done to her.

And then suddenly, Ambrose's heavy weight was gone, and the chill night air ran over her exposed body and she shivered, wishing her hands were free enough to pull her clothes together.

The dull thumps of a fist fight pulled at her ears and dull blue eyes sharpened enough to watch the events in front of her. The other man, skinny as a whip, seemed to have no chance against Ambrose' brawn in the fight; but ocean eyes widened as he ducked around wild punches and managed to land hits of his own. His cap fell off at some point, but considering Ambrose was fighting with his trousers 'round his ankles, the sweep seemed much better off.

A solid whack to the temple down Ambrose, eyes fluttering shut as he fell forward. The sweep dusted off his hands and turned to the exposed girl. Quickly seeing she was tied up, he strode over to her, fairly towered over her, and loosened the knots enough to release her hands.

Doing his best to be gentlemanly, Bert turned his head away as he took of his jacket, dirty though it was, and draped it about her shoulders. Pale hands trembled as they pulled the jacket close over her chest, and dry sobs crawled out her throat as Jane collapsed against the wall and slid to the ground.

Bert walked over to his hat and jammed it on his head before turning around to get a proper look at the girl he'd saved. When a white faced looked up at him, tear tracks tracing her face, Bert let out a gasp.

"Why if it aint li'l Jane Banks! Whot are yew doing in this part o' London?"

Blue eyes widened, in fear, trepidation, she didn't know, when she heard her name. Looking closer at the man who had saved her. Blue eyes twinkled and a cheeky grin grew on his face.

"…Bert?"

"Yes! Tha's me! Din't fink ya'd remember me!"

Jane was surprised, but had long since passed the point of things that would normally shock her.

"You're the only Sweep I ever really hung around. Though I wouldn't have thought you'd remember me at all."

"Aww, come now! O' course I remember yew! Yer brother was Michael yeah? Whot's he up to these days?"

Jane smiled in fondness, Bert was glad to see it, "He's studying to get into the science programs at either Cambridge or Oxford. If he's accepted at both, he'll choose according to scholarships. He wants to study astronomy and aeronautical engineering. Wants to fly, like those kites we played with all those years ago."

Bert smiled, "Well good on 'im!" Seeing the trembles still wracked her form, Bert offered his hand to pull her up off the ground.

"Come on Li'l Jane Banks, yew shouldn' be 'ere. Let's get yew 'ome."

Jane took his hand and tried to stand, but stumbled and felt Bert gently take one hand and move the other around her shoulder to get her up. She leaned against him for a moment, not caring a whit that he was covered in soot. Together they walked out of the alley and around the corner.

When Jane collapsed a few streets later, Bert knew he wouldn't be able to carry her all the way back to Cherry Tree Lane, if that was even where she still lived. So he picked her up and carried her to his own corner of the rundown communal housing. Most definitely not what she was used to, but it would suffice for the night.

**.x.**

When Jane woke up to sun beams lazily warming her face she sat up and realized she was lying on a couch, with a black jacket for a blanket.

"Oh good yor up! Gotcha sum tea, dunno 'ow yew loik i'…Sugar?"

Jane blinked, several times before realizing he was waiting for an answer, grin never leaving his face.

"Oh! Two please." As Bert got the sugar and mixed it into the steaming tea, Jane observed him, really looked at him. She'd only seen enough of him the night before to recognize who it was that saved her.

"You don't look a day older than when we first met…" Bert stiffened at her words and turned to look at her. Jane blushed realizing she'd been thinking out loud. Again. Michael always got after her for it.

"Sorry, don't mind me, I babble sometimes. Say the most nonsensical things really."

Bert tried to hide a grin. "Loik now?"

The blush darkened and she daintily coughed into her hand, turning her head and avoiding his gaze.

"Yes, rather like now I suppose."

She continued to look at the walls, which were covered in drawings, some coloured, others ink, most just in charcoal. They were really quite detailed, and absolutely beautiful.

A plain white tea cup, with saucer, appeared in front of her nose and blue eyes stared at it for a moment before looking left and seeing Bert.

She gently took the cup from his hands, strong and slender, calloused, a little sooty, and blew across the surface, "Thank you."

"Not a problem Li'l Jane Banks. Now, do yew still live on Cherry Tree Lane?"

He bustled about, ducked into a small alcove to change shirts and put on his checked red vest. A red scarf to match was quickly tied around his neck and he was doing his best to wash his face off when soft spoken words made him still.

"I meant for everything Bert. For befriending two spoiled children who wouldn't have looked twice at you; for looking after them when they were lost. For showing them things they'd never imagined possible; for," she choked here, "For saving me last night, from the pain and humiliation, when I thought it would never end…"

Bert closed his eyes in sorrow as he walked over to the couch gave the young woman a hug. Sobs shook her body, and her grip on the saucer was lost. Bert ignored the shattered ceramics on the floor and let the blonde cry on his chest.

Eventually the cries slowed and the shaking stopped and when Jane didn't move, Bert ducked his head. Her eyes were shut and her breath even with sleep. He shook his head and laughed softly. He tried to lay her back down on the couch, but her hands were holding onto his vest quite tightly and he couldn't get her to let go. And if he moved away, she would whimper and her rest would turn fitful. Heaving a sigh Bert sat back on the couch with Jane half draped on him.

He awoke hours later to the smell of hot tea and fresh scones with butter and jam wafting through the small apartment. Stretching and covering his yawn with one hand, Bert stood up and walked over to the small table for two and was laid out with the origin of those delicious smells.

Jane returned with the sugar jar, jacket completely buttoned. It wouldn't be proper outside, heck it probably wasn't proper now, but she was mostly covered and he could get her a shirt after they'd eaten.

"Sorry for falling asleep on you Bert. You looked kind of uncomfortable when I woke up…" Her cheeks were delightfully pink and Bert grinned.

"Ehh, not ta worry! Yew needed it and I c'n live in discomfort. Never stopped me before!" He winked at her and she smiled back at him.

"Now I know fer a fact, tha' I don' have eny scones in m'cupboard. So 'ow'd they end up in 'ere?"

"I got directions to a little pastry shop three streets over. He added the jam in at no extra cost; it was quite nice of him really."

She absentmindedly spread the raspberry jam over her scone and took a small bite. Bert looked at her askance.

"Yew went outside? Wearin' tha'?"

Jane looked up at the almost desperate tone of his voice. Her brow furrowed, "Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Problem? Jane! Don' ya realize wha' par' o' town yer in? Or what kind image yew presen' righ' now? The top o' yore dress was ripped of ya last night, an' yore skirt suffered sumfin' sim'lar. Yew got a jacket on, but it don' exactly cover everyfing and yore covered in dirt and blood! It's dangerous for yew ta go out lookin' loik tha'! 'Specially 'round 'ere!"

Jane had been a little indignant when he first said it was a problem she went out. She could look after herself thank you _very_ much! But then he went on to detail her clothing and the memories of last night slammed into her and she stiffened, trying not to break down into tears again.

She stood, stony-faced, eyes half vacant, "I apologize for trying to do something nice for you after you've done so much for me. I didn't realize it would ruin your reputation this much. Forgive me." And then she walked into the other room and shut the door before collapsing against it and crying.

Bert shifted back in surprise when Jane stood and said her piece, in a detached sort of way. He winced at her reasoning for doing something nice for him, and his heart broke when he saw tears trickling down her cheeks, though she seemed unawares they were there.

He winced again when he heard the door click, better had she slammed it. He crossed the room and knocked gently on the door.

"Jane, I didn' mean tha'! Well, I did, jes' not th' way i' came out." No response, though he could hear her trying to stifle her sobs. Pain tore at his heart, "Jane, please! Open th' door!"

Giving up on that entrance, Bert left the apartment and climbed onto the ledge that ran around the building. Coming to his window, he jimmied it open and climbed in. Jane was leaning against the door, eyes shut and crying.

He crept forward and took her hands in his, gentling her when she started.

"Shh, jes' me. Yew didn' open th' door. Had ta come in through th' window I did." He tried to get a smile, but only a distressed face with teary blue eyes looked back at him. It was terribly unfortunate, he was defenseless against blue eyes. They weren't as bright as Mary Poppin's, or even his own, but were entrancing and beautiful just the same.

"I didn' mean ta remind yew of las' nigh' Jane. I said wha' I did 'cos I was worried abou' yew. It's a shadier par' o' town than yore used ta and had sumfin' happened I never woulda forgiven meself. Nor would yore brother I imagine, when 'e found out."

Jane managed a small smile at his words. Bert grinned back at her, "Tha's more loik i'. Now, let's finish breakky yeah? An' then I'll foind a friend o' mine and get yew sum clothes ya can go out in. Sound good?"

She nodded, "Sounds good."

Though small, it was delicious and the company made it enjoyable. Jane offered to do the cleanup while he found his friend. While he found that idea a little awkward, he recognize the desire to do more than just sit around, especially with only memories to accompany you, and agreed.

A hour later, he walked back in, found Jane looking at his drawings and grinned.

"Jane, this 'ere is me friend Marjorie. She's gonna help yew find sumfing to wear. I'd join yew both, but I got stuffs I need to look after. Ta!" And then he fairly ran out.

The two women grinned knowingly at each other. "He's terrified of shopping isn't he?"

"Most men are Luv! Now, let's get ya some better clothes ta wear."

They spent a lovely while looking through the shops, Bert had given her a shirt to wear over her dress, under the jacket, and eventually found a nice dress that Jane could afford with the little change she had with her. Marjorie had to help with the last little bit to cover the end price, and Jane promised to pay her back.

"Ehh, don't worry 'bout it none Luv. Just keep me in mind when you need a Sweep yeah?" She winked. Jane grinned, her own plans scheming behind innocent blue eyes.

She wanted to change in the shop, but Marjorie took the bag from her and walked outside. With no other choice but to follow, Jane went. When they got back to the housing complex, Marjorie went to a different door than Jane remembered.

Walking in, she knew it most definitely wasn't Bert's. But before she could say anything, Marjorie drew a bath and left her to it, while she went to look for her roommate/ friend. Jane let the ripped dress fall off her and slipped in the warm water. It wasn't as hot as it was at home, but until that moment, Jane hadn't realized how much she'd needed a bath. It was soothing in a way that nothing else was, and at the same time allowed her to scrub off the filth and blood.

She continued to scrub, her mind placing rough hands all over her body; washing all the marks and bruises off, 'til her skin was red and raw and the water was cold. Marjorie found her shivering in the copper tub, washcloth slightly red from the raw skin. Gasping, she rushed forward and stopped Jane's hands. Pulling her up, she wrapped a robe around her shoulders and led her into the main room.

"Jane, this 'ere's my friend, Eponine. She's got a balm for your scrapes 'n bruises, a'right?"

Eponine shared a glance with Marjorie and then looked back at the vacant stare of the trembling woman before them. Gently, she coaxed Jane to lie on her stomach while Marjorie set up a screen. Folding the robe down to Jane's waist, Eponine began to softly rub the balm in her skin. Jane fell asleep during the process and was blissfully unconscious when Eponine looked after her rape injuries.

Together, the two friends, dressed her in the new outfit and called Bert to pick her up.

"Probably best she wasn't awake for the full exam and care. If I ever get my hands on that thing that calls itself a man I'll kill him myself!"

"You can't Eponine, dear, you heal people." A knowing grin passed between them, before one turned slightly feral.

"I do, but knowing how to heal people means you also know what hurts them. And I imagine if a healing were to be too intense, someone might die. Maybe. You know, on the off chance."

They chuckled.

Bert carried the young woman back to his rooms and set her on the couch. She'd had a rough day and her brother was likely going spare not knowing where she was.

**.x.**

Jane woke, for the third time that day to now-familiar walls. She could hear the scratch of charcoal on paper and wondered if Bert was drawing. Moving as quietly as she could, vaguely noting she was in her new dress and hoping desperately that it was Marjorie who had dressed her, she walked over and stood behind the hunched figure as a charcoal figure came to life on the page.

It was a woman, and at first Jane thought it was Mary Poppins, but the dress was all wrong and the figure had no parrot-headed umbrella. The dress was elegant and showed the woman's beautiful form. One hand held up her skirts so it looked like she was dancing.

"That's beautiful Bert!"

He jumped, "Oh Jane! Ya scared me! I didn' hear ya get up." He smiled, and Jane grinned back. She loved his smile, he wouldn't be Bert without it.

"Anyway, we outta get yew back 'ome. Yore brother's probably already alerted the const'ble an' is out o' his mind worryin' for ya."

Her smiled dimmed, though she nodded her head. It was past time she returned home. Quickly returning the jacket Bert had given her the night before to a small closet, she checked one last time to make sure that all dishes had been washed and put away.

Bert watched her, amused, as she bustled about his 'room' and offered her an arm when she was finished. Smiling, they walked out the door and began the walk through the unknown London streets that would eventually get to Cherry Tree Lane.

As they walked, they talked, about things that had happened since Mary Poppins was around and things that had changed. After a while they fell into comfortable silence, until Jane simply couldn't hold in her curiosity any longer.

"Bert," He turned to look at her, "How is it that you don't look a day older than when I was met you as a child?"

She felt it when he stiffened, only slightly, before relaxing.

"Oh, yew know, friends of Mary Poppins an' all tha'." He grinned.

"I don't believe you Bert. Not one whit. You and Mary Poppins knew each other, for a long time I imagine, remembering how you interacted with each other. You knew her habits, said she'd arrive and disappear with the change of the winds. But if she only showed up randomly, then you couldn't have seen her more than once a year, if that, and who's to say that you always saw her when she arrived?

"And you'd both have been in your mid to late twenties at that time. I suppose you could have met as children, or when in your teens…Except I remember speaking to my great-aunt one time. And she told me she'd had Mary Poppins as a nanny. Same, clothes, attitude, carpet bag, everything.

"So Mary Poppins is something of an anomaly, and no one really knows where she comes from, or even how she got magic," Jane stopped and looked straight at Bert.

"Except for you. You seem to have the most knowledge of her. Are you like her then? Do you have magic? Or whatever it is."

Bert looked into intelligent blue eyes. He could lie to her, switch a few things around, but eventually she'd fall back on track and get close to the truth. He sighed, he was getting old if someone could catch onto him.

"Yea, li'l bit. Ya gotta un'erstand there's diff'rent kinds o' magick Jane. Now I can' snap my fingers loik an' have all sorts o' things fixin' themselves loik Mary could. An' I can' fly wi' an umbrella. Tha' was 'er specialty. Lookin' after people and flyin',"

He looked like he was going to saying something else, but at that moment the shrill piercing of a bobby-whistle split the air.

"Oi, you! Let go of Ms. Banks right this minute! I'll have to arrest you for kidnapping! Ms. Banks, please come away from that man."

Two bobbies came running up to them, and one from behind that pushed Jane to one of the first two before grabbing Bert and cuffing his hands.

"What? No! Bert! Let him go, you don't understand!" She struggled against the man, who was holding her as gently as he could without letting her go.

"Jane! Jane! Are you alright?" Blonde hair whipped around to see Michael running up. The policeman let go and Jane fell into her brother's arms.

"Jane, what happened?"

"Michael! I'm fine, I promise-"

"Good, take him away officers!"

"No! Michael! You don't understand! He didn't do anything to me! He helped me! Please Michael, it's Bert!"

Michael paused from dragging his sister home and turned around. "Bert?"

Bert turned aside and waved best he could, "'Ello Michael! Jane tells me yew've been studyin' flyin'!"

Blue eyes twinkled in a cheery face and Michael suddenly remembered this man from his childhood.

"No, you wouldn't've hurt Jane. But then what happened? Why was she with you?" He walked toward Bert, before abruptly turning around, "And why didn't you return home last night?"

"As you know I was out with Ambrose yesterday,"

"Yes Miss, he's the one who gave us the description of your kidnapper."

Jane glared at the officer, who shrank back a bit, "He didn't kidnap me!"

Michael hurriedly tried to placate his sister. While his mother was usually quite temperate, when her ire was stoked, there was none like it around. And Jane had inherited it.

"No, of course not Jane, but his words were all we had to go on, you understand. So how did you get into this mess?"

"We were on our way to the show, you know, I told I'd be back late, and he told me he had a surprise before we got there. He covered my eyes and I couldn't see where we were going and when I opened them, he'd walked us into a closed alley. He…he kissed me rather forcefully and I tried to get away…but…"

When it looked like Jane wouldn't be able to finish the story, Bert took over and told them how he'd come across Jane and then later helped her.

"But she passed out afore I could get an answer abou' where she lived. So I brought 'er ta my place and she slept there. In th' morning I got a friend o' mine, Marjorie, ta come over an' help 'er find a dress. Sumfin' happened in th' bath an' they found 'er with raw skin an' bloody scratches everywhere. But they got 'er fixed up and all dandied, but she fell back asleep. When she woke up, I walked 'er back 'ere where yew lot apprehended me."

He finished the story with a amiable grin and the constable jerked his head to the officer behind him. A key was produced and the cuffs were taken off. Michael thanked the officers for their trouble and as they walked off turned back to Bert who was trying to sneak off.

"Oi you. Where do you think you're going? You're coming over for dinner."

"Nah, I couldn' possibly…"

"Yes you can. You saved my sister, it's the least I can do."

"Oh I didn' save 'er," He changed his words at Michael's look, "Well okay, mebbe I did. But anyone'd'a done tha' fer a sweet girl like Jane!"

Michael still had a look on his face. Bert had the feeling he wasn't going to win this one.

"Oh all righ'. But if yore mum an' dad freak out, I'm blamin' yew!"

Michael laughed, "They won't be frightened of you. I dare say, they'd recognize you faster than I did. And in any case, they've been away on holidays for the past two weeks, with another three to go. So I'm in charge as Man of the House," He looked fondly down at his sister, "And _how_ does Jane hate that!"

She grumbled but grinned up at him. Jane linked an arm with Michael and then gestured for Bert to get her other one, and together the three of them walked up the street to Number 17 Cheery Tree Lane, the smells of a roast dinner wafting through the evening air.

**.x.**

A/N: So yeah, just saw Mary Poppins in New York with Gavin Lee as Bert (he was the original in London), absolutely loved it and this little idea popped into my head. I will admit I spent most of my work day writing it, instead of actually writing...

August


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